No-Bake Cheesecake Cups

No-Bake Cheesecake Cups made for a great way to serve dessert at a recent baby shower that I hosted. Having the dessert already portioned into individual glasses was perfect for an easy grab-and-go option. My plan was to have the dessert cups made ahead of time, so I could easily set the mini cheesecakes out to let guests serve themselves as they wanted. It couldn’t have been a better idea! They were a huge hit!

Made these 2 times within a week! Not a fan of cheesecake but my family loves them, so I made it. They said they were amazing. Super simple to make, 6 cups were gone within 2-3 days!

— Cel

Reasons you will love this recipe

• Cute & perfectly portioned. Mini desserts are absolutely adorable and come with built in portion control!
• Simple & easy to make. The ingredient list is short and sweet and these require very little hands-on time.
• So delicious. Words cannot describe how incredibly delicious these turned out. I do have to warn you, though, once you dig your spoon into all the smooth, creamy, sweet layers, one serving might just not be enough!
• Versatile. These can be topped with a variety of toppings or served plain. They are wonderful to serve for potlucks, picnics, holidays or any other occasion.

Ingredients needed

This incredible no-bake cheesecake recipe is made with just 4 basic ingredients, plus the crust and topping. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:

• Crust. For the crust, you just need graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar! And it’s so tasty!
• Heavy whipping cream. Gives the cheesecake a lovely texture and rich flavor.
• Cream cheese. Make sure you use a block of real cream cheese, not cream cheese spread. We like Philadelphia’s cream cheese best. You will want the cream cheese softened to room temperature, so it’s easy to mix with the other ingredients.
• Sugar. Just 4 tablespoons of granulated sugar adds the perfect sweetness to the filling.
• Vanilla extract. For an extra boost of flavor!
• Topping. We love to add a topping of whipped cream, more graham cracker crumbs and fresh berries. See more topping options below.

How to make this recipe

Not only is the ingredient list simple, but making these cheesecake cups is a cinch! Here’s a quick rundown of the process:

1. Crust. In a medium bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and sugar. Divide the mixture into the bottom of 4-6 small glasses, cups or jars. Use a spoon to press the crumbs down.
2. Cream cheese filling. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the heavy whipping cream until light and fluffy, and stiff peaks form. In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese with sugar and vanilla until smooth. Now, use a large spoon to fold the whipping cream into the cream cheese mixture.

3. Assemble the cheesecake cups. Transfer the filling mixture into a piping bag or a large ziplock bag, snip the corner to make a thumb-size hole, and pipe the filling on top of the crust, into the cups. Once cups are filled, chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours or overnight, if you have the time.
4. Add topping & serve. Before serving, top with whipped cream, graham cracker crumbs and fresh fruit. Enjoy!

Expert tips

Even though this cheesecake cups recipe really could not be easier, here are some tips, so that they turn out incredible every time!

• Be sure that your cream cheese is softened, but not warm.
• The heavy whipping cream should be really cold, so it gets nice and fluffy when you beat it. Keep it in the fridge until right when you are ready to use it.
• In addition to the vanilla extract, you can also add a drop of almond extract, or finely grated lemon or orange zest for a different taste.
• When folding the whipping cream into the cheesecake mixture, be sure to do it gently, so you don’t lose too much air. You want your cheesecake batter to be light, airy and creamy.
• For best results, it’s important to allow time for these to chill. The filling will thicken and firm up a bit as it chills. We recommend making these the night before serving, or at least 4-6 hours in advance of serving.
• Wait to add the optional toppings until right before serving.

Frequently asked questions

Variations

We absolutely love these as-is with raspberries or strawberries and blueberries, but there are lots of tasty ways to get creative with your mini cheesecakes. Here’s a few ideas:

• Oreo cheesecake cups. Try using Oreo cookies for the crust, instead of graham crackers, and then top with Oreo crumbles and cookies. Totally trying this soon! Yum!
• Toppings. Instead of fresh berries, you could use countless other topping ingredients. Cherry pie filling and strawberry sauce pairs perfectly with the tang of no-bake cheesecake. For all my chocolate lovers, how amazing would a chocolate drizzle or chocolate ganache with fresh strawberries taste?! You could even try festive sprinkles, chopped candied nuts, chocolate shavings or candy. Another idea is to add a drizzle of salted caramel sauce.
• Full size no-bake cheesecake. Want this same delicious cheesecake flavor in a full size cheesecake? Try one of my all-time favorite desserts – no-bake cherry cheesecake!
• Gluten free. For a gluten-free option, simply use gluten-free graham crackers for this recipe.

Make ahead options

Because of the necessary refrigeration time, no-bake cheesecake cups are the perfect dessert to prep in advance! You can make the cups up to 2 days in advance. Cover and refrigerate before adding the topping. You can also make just the crust up to 2 days ahead of time. Cover and refrigerate up to 2 days before adding the filling.

Storing leftovers

I’ve found the easiest way to store the cups is on a large baking sheet and then I can cover all of the cups with one large strip of plastic wrap. Leftovers will keep well, covered, in the refrigerator for up to about 3 days. I seriously doubt they will last that long, though!

If you’re looking for the perfect summer potluck dessert or holiday sweet treat, these easy cheesecake cups are the BEST and always a hit!

If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and if your family loves it as much as mine does, be sure to give it a five star ⭐️ rating! Also, tag @kimscravings on Instagram with a picture of your creation. Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy delicious recipes straight to your inbox.